Kids and Lawn Mower Safety

Pediatricians across the nation advise a minimum age of 12 to handle a push mower, and a minimum age of 16 on a riding mower.

WYOMING NEWS SERVICE, Cheyenne, WY - Mowing the lawn is a summertime chore for many kids, and sometimes a way to make some extra cash. But did you know that each year across the country, 9,000 kids end up in emergency rooms because of lawn mower-related injuries?

Dr. Richard Schwend with Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics says safety needs to be kept in mind with this seemingly innocuous job. The American Academy of Pediatrics came up with the 9K number, and of those lawn mowing accidents, most injuries are serious. Dr. Schwend says the most common accident he sees involves the amputation of fingers, toes or limbs, and the victim is a small child who falls off a riding mower.

The doctor says medical advances mean surgeons have many tools to help a child recover, but he says it's still a long road back to health.

The A.A.P. recommends no child under 16 should be on a riding lawn mower, and no child under 12 operate a push mower.

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